Weakness
by Happiness's Deceit
Summary: Itachi was always weak against Sasuke's tears.  Drabbleficlet, retrospective.  Brother fanfiction.


Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me in any shape or form.

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"_Don't cry anymore, okay?"_

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He has always been bad with tears.

Not the tears of his target or the tears of his parents…

But the tears of the sky, of the heart, and of his younger brother.

It doesn't matter to him whether or not people look down upon it or not, but those tears, held back looming rain clouds or glistening eyes—those tears are the ones that hurt him more than he can ever dream.

Those are the tears that make his life…

Miserable.

Tears were a sign of weakness, and should be exploited. This was a fact he had learned so very long ago.

But his tiny brother was still a child, and had yet to learn such things.

So perhaps, as the older brother, it was his duty to show that this was not something that should be seen.

Otherwise, the child may grow up to a disappointment…not to the clan (they didn't matter), or the village (it was composed of very few good people), but to himself. And that was not something that he should be forced to go through.

He thinks, to himself sometimes, that he wishes he were average. For, then, his younger brother would not have quite so much upon his shoulders to refuse.

Or to let down.

It doesn't matter, though, because he will never do anything less than his absolute best—to do so would to destroy his ability to truly think for himself and shame the gift he has been given.

Other times long after he has thought about trying to be a more normal brother, he allows himself to sit back and feel proud, because with such a strong older brother, the other children will not pick on him, and the other _nin_ will not even dream of touching him.

On top of that, his little brother will have the ability to look up to him. And for that, perhaps, it is worth being second best or not measuring quite up to his own standards.

Sometimes he is able to sleep afterwards, and he finds that on those nights he sleeps the best; but other times his _father_ wants him to do something for the clan, and instead he gets up and is given another mission. Those nights, he sits awake in bed and cannot sleep until he has gone to his younger brother's room and laid a gentle kiss upon the brow of the innocent.

He loves his brother a little too much, he thinks, because none of the other _nin_ his age wants anything to do with their younger siblings, and he cannot help but worry that someday the clan will use Sasuke against him.

In his own way, he wants that to happen, so that he is not so attached to this child. In another way, he wishes that that day will never come.

He is pleased with his younger brother, though his _clan_ may not be.

He is pleased at having a genius (though not one a much or apparent as he) in his family—he is proud that it is he who can nurture this child, and that is he that this boy looks up to as well.

He is glad that he is the _one who matters_ to this child, not his parents or _clan_.

He sometimes sees a quiet, hoping look in his brother's eyes when their father turns his back to them; his little brother dares not to look up when his father is facing them. It is at these times that he remembers that he is not the only one who is important to Sasuke, and this fact is one that he very careful with.

But the child cries very easily—this is not a fact that he lets come out easily—and once someone has wormed their way (or has always existed there) into his heart, his little brother will not do wrong to them.

For them, his little brother cries very easily, and it is these tears that make his heart break.

_Save your tears_, he wants to say so very badly, _these fools are not worth your sorrow_.

The 'or mine' is unmentioned, even in his own mind, but resonates clearly in his own heart. He knows that, perhaps, this makes him a bad person, but if it shall make the tears stop flowing, then he does not—will not—care.

To him, other people don't matter.

There is only Sasuke.

* * *

"_Don't cry anymore, okay? They aren't worth your tears."_

* * *

**Super long AN (please read!):**

This tiny little ficlet is my super apology to my readers and friends. Those of you who have been keeping track of me know that my computer is dead, and therefore all my long one-shots and multi-chaptered fanfiction are lost until it gets fixed. So here's my apology, and my announcement.

Because I will not be able to do longer one-shots, I am now accepting drabble requests for anyone who has a tickle to read something new from me. The only catches are, of course, that you have an account and that you are very patient.

Anyway, that's out there for people who are interested, and I hope you guys will stick with me until my computer is fixed!

Thanks a bunch for reading! Please leave a comment!


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